Fresno Famous

Every once in a while I forget how much I love live music. Packing into a dark venue to hear some band play music just because they love it, and not because they need to become rock stars always hits a chord with me.

Last week I caught a couple of those shows. Thursday it was He's My Brother, She's My Sister at Fulton 55. They played with the Allah-Las and local favorite Fierce Creatures. I have to admit, I only caught HMBSMS (it being a work night and all), but I was able to chat with Nathaniel from Fierce Creatures. Needless to say FC has some exciting ideas up their sleeves for the next few months so stay tuned.

HMBSMS was amazing. Their "modern prairie rock meets Mama & the Papas" is fresh while being in line with the musical tide washing Foster the People and Cage, the Elephant onto alternative radio. Early in the set, I fell briefly in love with their tap dancing, bass drum playing percussionist whose cardio fitness level must be up there. Halfway through the set, the band easily got the slightly-buzzed crowd into an odd clapping pattern for "Escape Tonight". The audience loved them and demanded an encore which they pulled off with a level of humility appropriate for the non-headlining band. I brought the self-titled EP, and I've had it on repeat for the past several days which is always a good sign.

Friday it was It'll Grow Back at the Babylon. The entire show has already been reviewed here earlier in the week by Famous, but I will add just a note or two. First, this isn't my type of music normally. Second, there is something so refreshing about a band playing really well and have a blast doing it. It is contagious. The It'll Grow Back show on Friday reminded me a bit of seeing Garth Brooks in the 90s. While neither of them can be regularly found in my playlists, their live shows work because it is obvious that they are good musicians, love what they are doing and are thrilled that we happened to go out to watch the play. Really, that is what good live music is all about.